Chapter 40

FORTY

There’s a knock on the hospital room door, and when it opens, Blaire, Gabe, Danae, Dom, Alayna, Romel, and Kaylee come into the room.

Kay’s eyes light up as she spots Lana, and she curls her little fists up to her cheeks and squeals. “Cuuute.”

All the adults in the room smile and chuckle as she continues to coo at my daughter.

My daughter . God, that’s weird to say. I’m officially a dad.

The women surround Lexi, and my heart feels like it’s so full it’s going to explode out of my chest, especially when they make Lexi smile.

Romel pats me on the back and gives me a knowing look. “How you holding up?”

I’ve never been so emotionally wrecked in my entire life. I’m on cloud nine that Lana is here, safe and overall healthy even if she came a little earlier than expected. And the fact that Lexi is choosing me—that I practically watched her drop her guard when she looked into my eyes and told me she loved me—makes me feel like I have everything I never knew I needed. But with that comes absolute terror of something happening to ruin this delicate happiness we’ve found.

But I keep it simple. “I’m really fucking happy, man.”

“It’ll be nice to have another father in the mix, someone else who will clean up his language, especially after that first slipup when your child starts following you around saying the swear word over and over.” He gives me a wink, but I can’t wait.

I mean, I can because Lana’s still a baby, and I don’t need her growing up too fast, but I’m also excited for all those moments that will come someday.

“We’re happy for you, brother,” Gabe says, pulling me into a quick hug and a slap on the back.

Dom is next. “Couldn’t have happened to a better guy. You’re going to be a great dad, Ty.”

“Thanks, man.”

I’m getting a little choked up, and unlike Lexi, I can’t blame my emotions on hormones. Just pure and simple emotional exhaustion.

The door opens again and my parents walk in. Mom’s eyes already shimmer with tears as she gives me a quick hug and then makes a beeline for Lexi and her first grandchild. The love that shines in her gaze as she looks at Lana and then Lexi tugs on something inside of me. Something that’s aching to officially make Lexi a Russell.

My dad pulls me into a hug, and when he pulls away, his expression is serious. “How are you two doing?”

With all the chaos, I haven’t had time to fill them in, but he must see the relief in my eyes. “We’re good. We’re really good.”

He nods once. “Good. I was worried about you two.”

“You and me both, but we’re okay now.”

He stares down at the laminate tile floors for a minute before his gaze turns fatherly. “We told Tanner about the baby.” I start to shake my head because if I never speak to my brother again, it’ll be too soon. “Ty, hang on. He feels awful. We all know he made a mistake?—”

“A mistake?” I seethe, low enough so no one other than the two of us can hear. “He nearly cost me the woman I love. That’s not a simple mistake. He went too far.”

Dad holds his hands up. “No one will deny that, Ty, least of all him. He’s aware. I’ve never seen your brother look so awful. The guilt is eating away at him.”

“Good,” I spit out and then his sentence catches up to me. “Wait, you’ve seen him?”

“Well, yes.” His gaze shoots to the door behind me just as it opens, and my stomach sinks with dread and betrayal.

I spin around, already bracing my body for seeing the traitor, but nothing can prepare me for the savage protectiveness I feel with Lexi and Lana only feet away.

“How dare you fucking show your face after what you did to her.”

All conversation in the room ceases, and a gasp that sounds a lot like Lexi’s pierces through the sudden ringing in my ears. But my eyes burn with rage as I face my brother. Dad wasn’t lying—he looks like shit with bags under his eyes and remorse in his gaze. He holds a bouquet of flowers in one hand while his other is raised like he’s trying to prove he’s not a threat.

He didn’t use his hands to threaten my girls before. Yet, he still caused damage that hasn’t entirely been fixed. Lexi’s job remains in limbo, and despite weeks passing, the press won’t completely drop the story about Lexi’s past.

“Get out.”

“Ty—”

Before he can say anything else, I step up to him, but Mom is there in a heartbeat, her voice that stern mom voice that always made us kowtow as kids.

“Not here. I know you two have things to work out, but you will not do it in this room where Lana and Lexi need to rest and not be stressed out. Take it outside, right now.”

“I’m not leaving my girls,” I say, my voice low and threatening while my gaze remains locked on Tanner.

“It wasn’t a suggestion, Tyler,” Mom says, and then lower, “If you want to do best by your girls, take this outside.”

I finally rip my gaze away from Tanner to look at Mom, only for it to settle on Lexi instead, like two magnets snapping together. Her face is pale, her mouth parted, and tears fill her eyes.

Fuck. I never told her it was Tanner who leaked the story, and this sure as shit wasn’t how I wanted her to find out. I try to give her an apology with my eyes, but I’m not sure how effective it is, especially considering we have quite the audience at the moment.

Turning back to Tanner, I mumble, “Fine,” and gesture for him to go first. I’m sure as hell not leaving him in here with Lexi and Lana.

Once we’re out in the hall, I notice Mom is following us. She arches a brow. “What? You thought I was going to let you boys work this out unsupervised? I don’t think so. I know you both too well to think you can have a civil conversation right now without a mediator. I don’t care how old you are.”

I shake my head but don’t argue. There’s no point. She’s right. Already my fingers are twitching with the desire to just knock Tan on his ass and let him have it for the hell he’s put us through over the last few weeks.

We can’t go outside the hospital because the press are still an issue, so I ask a nurse where we can go and not be disturbed. She points to an extra waiting room that’s empty and has a door we can close. Once we step inside, I spin around and cross my arms over my chest, staring down the man I used to look up to and now can barely look at without wanting to punch him.

“Speak,” I demand.

He sets down the bouquet he’s still holding and drops his arms to his sides. “I really thought I was doing the right thing.” I scoff before he’s barely finished speaking. “Okay, maybe not with the press. That was uncalled for, and I’ll own that mistake. But I had good intentions looking into her past.”

“Intentions don’t mean shit when they cause the kind of harm you did.”

“You jumped in with both feet with this girl, Ty. You weren’t thinking clearly. One night with her and then she shows up saying she’s pregnant and you didn’t even seem to question it. She could’ve been playing you for all you were worth, and you were acting like her little lapdog.”

“She’s not like that,” I spit out, my body taut from holding myself back. I hate hearing him talk about Lexi like she’s anything less than amazing. “You don’t know her, so that meant I was an idiot for trusting her? Did it ever cross your mind to trust me to know enough about her?”

His jaw clenches, and remorse once again flashes in his eyes that are the same shade of brown as mine.

“Those paternity test results you were so on me about came in the morning the press broke the story. If you’d waited one fucking day… If you’d just trusted me .” I have to look away because it’s about more than what he did to Lexi, although that’s the biggest part.

It’s the slight against me. His actions showed how little faith he had in his own fucking brother.

“Ty,” his voice comes out hoarse.

When I look at him, his shoulders are slouched, his eyes shining with the possible sheen of tears, and his mouth turned down in a frown. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out. “I’ll say it over and over again until you believe me. I fucked up. I’ll own it. I’ll come forward with the press and explain. I’ll get them to stop talking about her.”

I step forward, my jaw tight. “You think I haven’t already tried? You set off a domino effect, Tan. There is nothing simple about ‘fixing it’ because if there were, I’d already have done it by now. You threw her entire life out there for the world to see. She’s at risk of losing her fucking job! She loves being a teacher, and now she might not be able to because of how people are looking at her. You know the power of the press. How fucking dare you put her through that.”

His hand grips the back of his neck, and I can practically feel the despair wafting off him, but it’s not enough.

The damage is done, and I don’t know if there’s any way he can fix it.

“Are you done?” I ask, my voice flat and devoid of emotion.

He swallows thickly, staring at me like he hopes I’ll magically forgive him.

I won’t.

A quick glance at Mom tells me she already knows how I feel and how hard this is for her to have two of her sons fighting.

“I’m going back to my girls,” I say and walk past him without another look.